Part 220: Chapter the Sixth: An expensive victory.
Chapter the Sixth: An expensive victory.December 14, 2027-January 10, 2028
The Club World Cup has moved from Tunis to South Africa, it spends two years at each host nation before moving on to the next. It's also always held in Africa, Asia, or North America, and the host nation has their league's best team automatically qualify for a playoff against the Oceanic (i.e. New Zealand) contender. We get a bye through to the semi-final, of course, meaning that we only have to play two matches before we can get back to what's important.
vs CD Atlas, December 14, 2027
Club World Cup, Semifinal
This tournament would be much more interesting if more clubs were involved, but I can see how the scheduling is a mess to figure out. But a true Club World Cup with multiple aspirants from each continent would be exciting. Make it a sixteen team tournament, give 6 spots to Europe, 4 to South America, and two each to North America, Asia, and Africa. The qualifiers can be the semifinalists of the Champions League and Libertadores, and the finalists of the Europa, CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF Champions Leagues. No charge for that idea, FIFA, even though it's a license to print money.
Atlas has a backup who's on vacation. I've never seen that before, and it means they're playing with a six man bench.
Starting Formation: The Pyramid
Starting 11: Kocsis, Tounkara, Quiboulaz, Zouaghi, Allan, Bailey (c), Bale, Stringel, Rickard, Thiago, Damgaard.
Subs: Landgraf, Leandro, Hammatt, Laux, Brown, Mujkic, Moctezuma.
A great pass by Stringel catches Rickard in stride and the young target man sees us to yet another lead inside of ten minutes. Rickard continues to show how integral he is to the Pyramid scheme by picking up an assist twenty minutes later with a quick flick to a slashing Damgaard, who beats the keeper with an excellent finish over his shoulder and inside the top corner of the far post. Atlas hits back immediately, their man wide open because Batman wandered away transfixed as if he had sniffed some type of pheromone in the stands. Then Allan has to be carted off the field after suffering some sort of horrific hallucination just before halftime, and the Dauphin of Wrexham takes the pitch for the second time in as many matches.
Our injuries continue to mount in the second half when Thiago suddenly finds his lower half wrapped entirely in ice, it'll take hours to chip it all away. Atlas complete their comeback with an excellent volley from outside of the box two minutes after Thiago's removal, but Isaac Stringel shows his countrymen what's what after the Batman returns to action with half of his rogues gallery in shackles on the side of the pitch. Then, with a minute of stoppage time remaining, a man in clown attire appears behind the Atlas net with a tied up police officer decked out in a suicide vest. Bale sprints down the pitch as the clown counts down to the end of the match, and launches the ball with such violence that it blows through the netting and knocks the killer clown clean out. We're through to the final, and over the next month Johannesburg will notice a significant drop-off in it's crime rate.
Wrexham 4-2 Atlas
The complaints about mind games are rich, coming from you:
Losing a good player is a high price to pay to win a low-importance competition. Still, so long as Thiago isn't badly hurt-
Shit. This one expensive minor trophy. Stringel will play the advanced forward role in the 4-2-3-1 just fine, but it makes going to the Pyramid more difficult. A broken ankle is also the sort of injury that can seriously damage a player's ability, and Thiago ain't getting any younger- he was injured on his 30th birthday.
I think I'd rather have faced Arsenal. I like our chances better in a two legged fight than in a single match on neutral ground. Plus, I'd have no hesitation breaking out the Pyramid on Southampton or West Brom in a final.
To say that I'm pleased with this draw would be an understatement. Extremely short travel time (especially compared to drawing, say, the Dagestani club Anji) and one of the three clubs in the pot that isn't in a top five league. Much better than Arsenal, which has to play last year's finalists Napoli, or Chelsea, who are up against Juventus, or even Manchester United, who face Borussia Dortmund.
That is an exceedingly large crowd. Maybe in 2027 the Club World Cup has become a huge deal? If so I really wish you could modify leagues ingame, I'd totally set up a real Club World Cup.
vs Palmeiras, December 18, 2027
Club World Cup, Final
A Brazilian club representing South America. What an uncommon sight. The whole nation must be bursting with pride.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Laux, Loseille, Zouaghi, Shirra, Moctezuma, Bouzid, Mujkic (c), Stringel.
Subs: Landgraf, Quiboulaz, Tounkara, Lewis, Damgaard, Bale, Rickard.
We have six corners in the first quarter hour, and not a thing to show for it. Later in the first a two minute stretch of play sees Reed hits the post, Pameiras counter attack and hit the crossbar, and Bouzid hit the post. We're winning 2-1 on bonus points. We have the upper hand throughout, after an hour we've had 16 shots to the Brazilian's one. As time starts ticking down I'm becoming concerned that this will be One Of Those Games where we'll lose despite our opponents having two shots all day. My fears seem realized as the Palmeiras striker bears down on Kocsis during a counter attack, but Kocsis is able to make the save. We then benefit from an own goal as a Mujkic cross intended for String is put into the back of the net by the man marking him. It's enough, we can tell our charter flight to stock up on some champagne.
Man of the Match: Steve Reed
Wrexham 1-0 Palmeiras
Hooray.
Nope, not extending that loan. I'm selling him this window. I don't even know why QPR would want him, he's been wretched all season.
Blyth, on the other hand, can stay out on loan.
You're not going to find enough money behind the couch cushions to buy Arsenal for its one and a quarter billion pound valuation.
vs West Ham United, December 21, 2027
League Cup, Quarterfinal
Ain't got nothing to say other than win this, and win it commandingly. Punch our ticket to the semis.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Quiboulaz, Loseille, Laux, Shirra, Moctezuma, Bale, Mujkic (c), Stringel
Subs: Landgraf, Leandro, Tounkara, Lewis, Damgaard, Bouzid, Rickard.
Moctezuma gets our first shot on target in the 19th minute. He also gets our first goal. At the half the Hammers have had 27% possession, and no shots. Our dominance isn't as complete in the second half, but West Ham can't get their best chance to go in and Meteor adds the finishing touch to give us a clean two-nil victory and a berth in the semifinal. Our opponents are Southampton, who I'd give a 20% chance of upsetting us.
Man of the Match: James Loseille
Wrexham 2-0 West Ham
Whoever's in charge of informing people of changes in our fixture list has got to be overwhelmed with constantly letting ticketholders know that the match they're planning on attending has had it's date changed for the third time.
I had to get moving on this early, as Ikeda's contract ends in June, and he could have been signed on a pre-contract for no compensation as of December 30th.
Will there be a Christmas miracle to save the Gunner's sale?!
At Huddersfield Town, December 26, 2027
Premier League
It's down to crunch time for players like Rouissi, van Leeuwen, and Pickee. They need to show me something soon or they're on their way out of Wrexham.
Starting Formation: The Pyramid
Starting 11: Kocsis, Hammatt, Tounkara, Zouaghi, Shirra, Laux, Moctezuma, Stringel, Rickard, Rouissi, Mujkic (c).
Subs: Landgraf, Quiboulaz, Bailey, Damgaard, van Leeuwen, Bale, Pickee.
The announcer says it best after the first forty-five, it's all square in Huddersfield despite our dominating play. You could say the same after the second forty-five. We're held scoreless despite terrorizing the goal all day. It's frustrating to draw like this, and combined with our performance against West Ham and Palmeiras I'm concerned that our offense has started to falter just as our defense is finally rounding into shape.
Man of the Match: Dramane Tounkara
Huddersfield 0-0 Wrexham
Go Revs! My local squad made it to the MLS Cup this past December, but lost in Landon Donovan's swansong. It's slightly disappointing, and the third time the Revs have lost in the MLS Cup final, but I can't begrudge Donovan going out on a high note considering that he's by some margin the best American player ever. Jurgen Klinsmann cost us a victory over Belgium at the World Cup by leaving him off the roster!
♪A never-ending stooooory♫
At least we turned a profit. Good luck, Ikeda. I hope you turn into a late bloomer, because you sure weren't an early one.
And another good young American player suffers serious injury. He'll be back in time for the summer Olympics and World Cup qualification, but this could set back his development into a star quality European player.
At Bolton Wanderers, December 28, 2027
Premier League
The Wanderers have a sieve for a defense, giving up nearly two a game, which means that I'm expecting goals. I'm also not expecting their offense to impress, they've poached 11 goals through 18 matches.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Quiboulaz, Loseille, Lewis, Bailey (c), Moctezuma, Bouzid, Damgaard, Stringel.
Subs: Landgraf, Leandro, Laux, Bale, Brown, Rouissi, Rickard.
Stringel misses a sitter in the 11th minute, but comes right back and makes a much more difficult shot a minute later. Weird how that works. Then String misses another sitter, but comes right back again to score his second goal. Then he misses ANOTHER sitter, and this time it's Claus Damgaard who shows up right away to score the goal. String should be working on his double hat-trick instead of his hat trick, but two goals is hardly a poor return. Ali Bouzid wraps up the scoring in the 89th minute, and Bolton's now lost to us twice by the aggregate score of eight-nil.
Man of the Match: Isaac Stringel
Bolton 0-4 Wrexham
The transfer window is almost open, and the question is not whether but when Ellis Rickard gets a new contract. No one is sniffing around him right now, so I'm going to leave it be and try to wait until the end of the season before giving him a new contract. We're down to £35m in the tank, after starting the season with £66m.
Stephen Cooke will also be getting a contract offer, right now he's on only £80/wk. Davies and Weeks may or may not get professional deals depending on their contract demands, if they want less than £2k/wk I'm liable to let them develop for a few years and then sell them.
Paul Williams now has a Continental reputation a decade after we plucked him from obscurity, I wonder how large a raise he'll be asking for.
It's also time to decide who we should cut bait with.
Mitchell Pickee has gotten the most time on the pitch of the three, appearing in 11 matches so far, but he's also been a non-factor, with just one goal and one assist.
Kais Rouissi has the longest term with the club, we signed him as a 15 year old wonderkid out of Auxerre's academy eight years ago, but if anything he's been less impressive than Pickee in his 10 appearances this year.
Ferdi van Leeuwen has performed best of the three, but he's also the oldest and least likely to become more than he is.
van Leeuwen and Pickee were both free transfers, while Rouissi only cost £125k. If we get half the listed price we've made a tidy profit.
Please pull a Javert and toss yourself into the Seine, PSG.
Hey, just as the Transfer Window opens the Arsenal sale finally goes through. I was secretly hoping that AJ_Impy would buy them.
Within hours of offering Pickee he has suitors. I'm waiting to see if we can get someone to buy him straight up rather than going off on loan with a future fee, I want to make sure he sells. If that doesn't happen by the final week of the window then I'll reconsider.
We also welcome Jacob Lundbye, our newest Danish phenom. Like Claus Damgaard five years ago Lundbye arrives on a free transfer from FC Københaven. He's impressive for a teenager, outstripping the other U18 players we have at that position, and if he can get his Anticipation and Composure up he's going to be deadly in front of the net.
At West Ham United, January 1, 2028
Premier League
I hope no one stayed up too late past midnight. We've got a game to play here.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Tounkara, Laux, Loseille, Zouaghi, Shirra, Moctezuma, Stringel, Mujkic (c), Rickard.
Subs: Landgraf, Quiboulaz, Hammatt, Bailey, Bouzid, Damgaard, Bale.
Moctezuma, Shirra, and Laux score within ten minutes of each other in the first half, and it's looking like we're going to make up points on the clubs ahead of us. Moctezuma adds another after halftime, and for the second game in a row we look like the monster club we're supposed to be.
Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moctezuma
West Ham 0-4 Wrexham
Moctezuma sacrificed them to his greater glory, you could say.
It's a tough battle for the final spot on my ballot behind Meteor and String, but I go with James Loseille, who has been otherworldly all year at left back. Defenders never win these awards, but if one ever did it should be someone like him who plays the whole length of the pitch and is ferocious on both offense and defense. He's like La Marseillaise in footballer form, he leaves the pitch well watered with impure Prussian blood.
The awards season kicks off with a Moctezuma victory, which comes as zero surprise.
I have to admit, I thought Padilla was a huge bust for the first three years I ran the USMNT. Then I finally stopped playing him as a defensive midfielder and he's become one of America's three best players. He's 27 now, so he should still be in his prime when the next World Cup rolls around.
Meteor didn't make the World XI, that does not bode well for his Ballon d'Or chances.
Luis Revilla? Really? 15 goals and 34 assists is impressive, but is it more impressive than 30 goals and 20 assists? In eight fewer games? Just another sign of the voter's anti-Welsh bias.
Mujkic didn't even win the AFC Player of the Year award, the first time since 2023 that's happened. And I don't see how Selimovic was better than Meteor, he had a grand total of 11 goals and 5 assists compared to Mujkic's 14 and 17, and he played 33 matches in a much weaker league. At least this I can justify this as the AFC voters wanting to give it to new blood, but it's a tough pill for the former five time champion to swallow.
With the Golden Boy going to a Brazilian playing in Russia, we are shut out of the major individual awards. Tounkara and Loseille were both overlooked, despite their making the World XI and Odair not even being an alternate.
Joe “John Bender” Patel is the only player I'm trying to sell at the moment who isn't drawing interest.
Meanwhile I didn't even have to try and sell Rhys Davies, one of our youth players who would be out of contract come June. I'm more than happy to take £1m from West Ham instead of letting him walk for nothing.
At Southampton, January 4, 2028
League Cup, Semifinal Away Tie
Howdy, old friend. I hope you don't mind if we win these two matches commandingly so's as we can defend our cup.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis (c), Quiboulaz, Tounkara, Hammatt, Loseille, Lewis, Shirra, Bale, Bouzid, Damgaard, Stringel.
Subs: Landgraf, Reed, Laux, Bailey, Coleman, Mujkic, Rickard.
Two goals are scored in the first six minutes, one for each side. The Southampton goal was significantly more impressive from an artistic standpoint, it was launched from well outside the box, curled over Kocsis's outstretched hands, and then dove back under the crossbar thanks to the wicked spin put on it by Willie Kelly. Then Kelly scores again, and we're trailing at the half in what seems to be happening all too frequently. We capitulate utterly after that, unable to get any type of coordinated assault going in the second half as the Saints lock us down in the second half, and we meekly take our away goal and leave without even trying to pull out a draw. Of our nine shots on the day only one was on target, our lowest percentage all season and far below the 45% rate we've held all season.
Southampton 2-1 Wrexham
Moctezuma will be eligible for this, the question is whether Wrexham will be able to spare his services. He's our starting right winger at this point, and unless I think the Batman can fill his shoes for a month he'll be serving club over country.
I've had my scouts combing through the American youth academies for potential Partizan projects and they've turned up some exciting players. McClung is so good that he'd get a work permit based upon his potential, which is incredibly rare for an American. He's the sixth American with “star Premier League” potential, trailing only the “World Class” potential of Rodrigo Moctezuma. Sadly, we cannot sign him until he turns 18, and his 18th birthday is after the next World Cup.
Meanwhile, Peachey grades out as having the potential to be a “leading Premier League goalkeeper” - meaning that he is definitely the keeper of the future. I considered signing him to Partizan, but the Sounders Academy has “great” facilities, so leaving him where he's comfortable is for the best.
The only question about McClung and Peachey is how quickly they can develop, the World Cup is in two-and-a-half years and they're unlikely to be ready for it.
Here's another perfectly good teenaged American, who could become a top level star in MLS, and who didn't even have a club. Now that I've offered him a trial all the MLS teams are suddenly interested, so hopefully one of them give him a real contract.
Congratulations on winning your third term, Mr. President. You're eligible to run one more time before term limits bounce you out.
At Crystal Palace, January 8, 2028
FA Cup, Third Round
Crystal Palace have defeated us twice in a row. I can't even remember the last time a club has beaten us twice in a row, looking back at our schedule it would appear to be Arsenal in 2025 and 2026. It can't possibly happen again, can it? We play Crystal Palace again in three days, in a league tilt that will take place in Wales rather than London.
Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Laux, Loseille, Zouaghi, Damgaard, Moctezuma, Shirra, Mujkic (c), Stringel.
Subs: Landgraf, Quiboulaz, Tounkara, Bailey, Bouzid, Bale, Rickard.
After a quarter-hour we're having very little success playing our possession style against Crystal Palace, they're pressuring our attackers and forcing turnover after turnover. I make an executive decision to go back to the 4-5-1 and let Palace have possession. It pays off, preventing Palace from earning easy attempts on our goal, and leading to an early second half one of our own by Moctezuma on a fast break. Stringel scores a second as we enter the final thirty minutes, and things are looking bright. A third goal, this time from Matthias Laux on a set piece, finishes our day and we've vanquished Crystal Palace. Things are once again right with the world.
Man of the Match: Matthias Laux
Palace 0-3 Wrexham
Let's go Torquay! I'd love to get a League Two opponent.
Stumbles against Southampton and Huddersfield aside, that was a very good run of matches. So long as we win our games in hand we're not far back from Manchester United at all, and we're still in line for a septuple. Or octuple, if you want to include the Mini-Cwp. Our next match will be against Crystal Palace, again, as we face them at the Red Keep and look to start a new winning streak. Then we have Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea all within a month of each other. I wouldn't be concerned about how we've slipped to fourth on the table, the main reason for that is our three games in hand.
